Oklahoma City Indians

The Oklahoma City Indians were an American minor league baseball franchise representing Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, that played in the Texas League in 1909, 1933-42 and from 1946-57, and in the Western League from 1918-32. It played at Western League Park, Holland Field and Texas League Park.^[1]

Minor league classifications varied somewhat during the Indians' lifetime, but the Western and Texas leagues of the era — rated Class A, A1 or AA — were high-level circuits that usually ranked 2-3 notches below Major League Baseball calibre.

The Indians won the 1935 Texas League championship and two years later captured 101 regular-season victories, but generally struggled in the TL standings. In the club's last three seasons, 1955-57, it lost 90, 106 and 88 games. The team spent the post-World War II period as the Class AA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, but the Oklahoma City Indians' nickname long preceded that relationship. The Indians team spent many years as an unaffiliated franchise, and in its last two seasons was a farm club of the Boston Red Sox.

Baseball Hall of Fame player Rogers Hornsby managed the Indians for part of the 1940 season, and future Hall of Fame broadcaster Curt Gowdy launched his baseball announcing career with the postwar Indians.

The Oklahoma City Indians folded when the Texas League reorganized following the 1957 season. Five years later, the Oklahoma City 89ers, Class AAA affiliate of the Houston Colt .45s, debuted in the American Association.

Oklahoma City also fielded a Texas League team called the Mets or Metropolitans in 1910-11.

References

• Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, eds., The Minor League Encyclopedia, 3rd edition. Durham, N.C.: Baseball America, 2007.

1. ^ Nichols, Max, "Stadium Name Change Follows Tradition," Oklahoma City Journal Record, October 7, 2002

Preceded by Birmingham Barons (1952)

Boston Red Sox AA affiliate 1956–1957

Succeeded by Memphis Chicks